Raptors: 3 reasons Fred VanVleet should be an All-Star

The Toronto Raptors haven’t had a ton to smile about this season given how they are currently lying at 7-11, but the play of star guard Fred VanVleet has been extremely encouraging, especially after he signed a four-year contract this offseason. VanVleet, who has received endorsements from head coach Nick Nurse, might be the lone Raptor with a legitimate chance of making the All-Star team, as doing so would extend Toronto’s run of consecutive seasons having a player selected as an All-Star at seven.

If the Raptors want to extend their streak to eight, fans need to get behind VanVleet in his All-Star push, as there are three key reasons why he should be picked.

3. He’s having the best season of his career while becoming the Toronto Raptors’ No. 1 scorer

Fred VanVleet has been playing better than he has ever played in his career

VanVleet was an average scorer for the better part of his career, but his hot start to the 2019-20 campaign has him finally numbering among the elite in the Eastern Conference. VanVleet is averaging 19.3 points per game. While that number puts him fourth among Eastern Conference shooting guards, Jaylen Brown’s versatility means that he is playing a lot of off-ball forward. Designating Brown as a forward could put VanVleet behind second-place Zach LaVine and leader Bradley Beal.

VanVleet’s evolution from an undrafted free agent to a quality role player on a championship team to legit No. 1 star on a playoff team has been amazing to watch, and he should be properly heralded for his development with an All-Star appearance.

With the Raptors in need of someone on the perimeter to step up and save them as they spiral ever downward, VanVleet could potentially be tasked with taking on even greater responsibility on the offensive end. Doing so would gas up his scoring numbers and make his stats more enticing to the voters. If they can look past Toronto’s record, they’ll see how good VanVleet’s stats look.

2. Fred VanVleet is a master scorer and distributor for the Toronto Raptors

Fred VanVleet is both scoring for himself and creating chances for his teammates

Part of what makes VanVleet so amazing is the fact that he is consistently affecting the game in so many ways despite his diminutive size and average athletic ability. VanVleet ranks fifth among Eastern Conference shooting guards in rebounding, while his 6.5 assists per game are the best out of any shooting guard in the conference. Given how Kyle Lowry has missed time with injury, VanVleet has often had to wear two hats in Toronto, playing the role of both a lead scoring guard and a facilitator that runs point. Naturally, he’s handled this with maturity and aplomb as he has in his entire career up until this juncture.

While the Raptors have been an inconsistent team, save for a few very nice performances, their perimeter offense hasn’t been the main contributor to that. The reason that has been able to stand strong amid such chaos is the fact that VanVleet’s efficient passing and clutch shooting had propelled the Raptors’ offensive attack. Considering how the likes of Terence Davis, Paul Watson, and struggling rookie Malachi Flynn would be in line for possessions at point guard without him, there is a tremendous weight on VanVleet’s shoulders. Rather than shrink, he’s excelled, putting together the best numbers he’s ever compiled.

1. The Toronto Raptors would fall off of a cliff without him

Fred VanVleet is saving the Raptors from complete ruin

If you had told Raptors fans that two years after Kawhi Leonard helped them win the franchise’s first championship, the team would start to fray at the seams and an undersized combo guard from Wichita State would’ve been what keeps this team together, you would’ve been laughed out of the room. Unfortunately, that’s the situation Toronto finds themselves in, as their failures on the free-agent market and inability to replace their dynamic duo of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol inside have done a number on Toronto’s production.

VanVleet, some nights by himself or with the help of Lowry and OG Anunoby, often takes on the role of primary creator on offense, all the while starting to improve his effort and skill on defense.

While value isn’t considered nearly as often as it should be in the All-Star process, the fact that VanVleet is producing like he is with a lack of talent around him to take defensive attention off of him should bump him over a few other East guards with similar stats in the hypothetical power rankings. VanVleet still has plenty of time to make up ground in the All-Star race. If he keeps playing like he has been, and the Raptors start making up some ground in the standings, there should be no doubt that VanVleet will end up as an All-Star for the first time in his career.

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